Tech, TV, Movies, Games, and More

The very first Star Wars standalone movie has arrived. Without the Skywalkers and the Jedi, how does Rogue One stack up compared to the “saga” films?

On this show Arnie and Marjorie are joined by several members of the Star Wars Action News Team: Steve, Brock, Daryl, Andrew, and Jerry. Plus we have special guests Eddie from the Action Figure Blues podcast, and Chris and Sarah. They go through the new characters in the film, how it changes their view of the Original Trilogy, and which toys the film made them want to buy!

And also on this show Brock gives a spoiler-free, in-depth review of the Rogue One prequel novel Catalyst by James Luceno!

So join these Rogues on their mission to review the new film!

Then head to NowPlayingPodcast.com for Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s in-depth review of the movie!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Everybody wants to rule the galaxy…but is it all it’s cracked up to be? Now Emperor, Paul Atreides must balance his leadership with numero
us plots to undermine him. After the great success of Dune, can Frank Herbert match with the sequel: Dune Messiah? Join Stuart in this review to find out!

Frank Herbert’s 1965 landmark novel DUNE is one of the most celebrated works of the science fiction genre, but does today’s reader have to be a Mentat in order to wrap their mind around its dense mythology? Host Stuart In LA promises, “there’s nothing to fear…. fear is the mind killer.” Join him as he dives headfirst into this first chapter of his six podcast exploration of the Duneverse.

Happy Thanksgiving, Star Wars Action News listeners! And welcome to our 12th Annual Holiday Shopping Guide!In this issue Marjorie and Arnie run down all the major Black Friday toy sales. Find out where to get Black Series figures, video games, Star Wars themed glasses and gifts, and other toys with the biggest savings! Then follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the best online Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals!Then the hosts, aided by the entire Star Wars Action News team, run down the best Star Wars themed gifts for 2016. With prices from $5 to $800, there’s something for fans of all ages and interests! What are the must have collectibles this year? Join us to find out!All this and a 2016 Toys For Tots Challenge in this issue of Star Wars Action News!Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Stores are stocking up for holiday shoppers, and a good portion of their shelf space is devoted to Star Wars: Rogue One toys! While they have been out for a bit over a month some of the first wave of figures are still elusive.

On this episode of Star Wars Action News join Arnie, Marjorie, and Scott from Tulsa as they give in-depth reviews on the Black Series 6-Inch Rogue One figures. Plus a look at Amazon’s exclusive Shadow Trooper Helmet — all in this spooky Halloween episode!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

In just a few years New York Comic Con has become one of the top three most important conventions for collectors. Each year the number of exhibitors grow, now including Sideshow and Hot Toys, Kotobukiya, Sphero, Air Hogs, Hallmark, Beast Kingdom and more! And Hasbro isn’t on the show floor, but they use the event to reveal new toys as well.

For all the Star Wars news out of NYCC join Arnie, Marjorie, and Daryl for this podcast. Watch exclusive interviews with Hasbro, Tantrum Cases, and Kotobukiya (along with their Celebration ’17 exclusives!). Plus a booth tour of Sideshow and Hot Toys, and news from so many other collectible lines!

Plus a review of the new Star Wars novel Ahsoka, it’s all in this feature-length episode of Star Wars Action News! (and available in both full video and audio versions!)

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Last Friday the Rogue One toys were released! Well, officially any way…they had been showing up on store shelves worldwide for weeks before the official street date. But, like for The Force Awakens, these Rogue One toys were celebrated with a midnight release at Toys R Us and Walmart stores. Plus exclusive figures at Target, Walmart, K-Mart, Toys R Us, and more.

On this episode of Star Wars Action News, Arnie and Marjorie recount their Midnight Madness shopping, and are joined by collectors in California, England, and Australia to see how the experiences were in other areas as well!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Next week Star Wars will again descend upon stores across the world. Sep 30 is this year’s designated date for Rogue One toys, housewares, and more to be released. Some are hitting shelves now, but come Sep 30 everyone will have access to figures of Jyn Erso, the Deathtrooper, and more!

On this episode of Star Wars Action News the team gathers to discuss their anticipation for the toys, the new movie, and so much more. LEGO, Hot Toys, Disney Elite figures, and, of course, Hasbro Toys!

Build your anticipation for this toy release with this episode of Star Wars Action News!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Over Labor Day weekend a group of Star Wars collectors from across the globe gathered in the Washington DC area for an International Collector’s Event–or ICE. Items were sold and traded, collections were put on display, and friends swapped stories. All while traveling through Virginia and Maryland visiting a dozen Star Wars collections!

Marjorie and Arnie were on-hand to see these impressive displays and talk to some of the other attendees. So kick back and enjoy this extra-cool episode of Star Wars Action News!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, but the desire for exclusives lives on! Yesterday Hasbro Toy Shop put up for order their three Star Wars Black Series 6-Inch 2016 exclusives: Jyn Erso, Unmasked Kylo Ren, and A New Hope Obi-Wan Kenobi with talking holographic Leia! They were all gone in under an hour.

Are these figures worth the trouble it took to get them? Or the eBay prices? Join Arnie and Marjorie on this week’s show for in-depth reviews of all three Hasbro SDCC 2016 exclusives!

With a bonus review of Funko’s SDCC exclusive BB-8 with “Thumbs Up” lighter, and a look at the new Star Wars novel Aftermath: Life Debt, all this and much more is in this week’s new podcast!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

San Diego Comic-Con was last weekend, and Star Wars was everywhere! From announcements on books and comics to toys and collectibles, the Star Wars Action News team was there to bring you the highlights!

On this full video episode, Arnie and Marjorie are joined by Marvelicious Toys’ host Justin to talk about all the exclusives, the Hasbro reveals, and more.

Watch this episode for exclusive interviews with eFX Collectibles, Kotobukiya, Gentle Giant and Hasbro! Plus a tour of the floor and look at items by Beast Kingdom, Funko, and more!

And check out our photo galleries to see hundreds of pictures from the convention!

Also, please check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

In 1990 Robert Ludlum returned to Jason Bourne one last time for The Bourne Ultimatum. This story finds Bourne once again in the crosshairs of Carlos the Jackal. It was a book intended to set a legacy for many Bourne novels to follow in the hands of other writers. So why is this the worst book ever reviewed at Books & Nachos? Join Stuart in L.A. as he tears into The Bourne Ultimatum and tells you why this is a novel you should avoid at all costs!

And if you enjoy Books & Nachos, support the show through our PodBean Crowdfunding Page!

Star Wars fans around the world — rejoice! In the next 2 weeks comes Star Wars Celebration Europe and San Diego Comic-Con! The news will be coming quickly about new toys and collectibles, as well as information on Episode VIII, Rogue One, and Rebels! And the Star Wars Action News team is going to be at both conventions covering it all.

Join the hosts this episode for the ultimate SDCC shopping guide. From exclusive Hasbro Black Series figures to Chewbacca watches to car decals–Arnie and Marjorie run down and rate the numerous Star Wars collectibles only available at the show!

And Steve “The Gingerprince” joins in to share his excitement for this weekend’s Celebration Europe 3! With an exclusive Black Series Kylo Ren figure, a bevy of Original Trilogy stars signing autographs, and more, Steve preps you for the event.

With a review of the Kotobukiya Art-FX+ Captain Phasma and a Vintage Viewpoint reviewing Topps’ new Empire Strieks Back trading card book, it’s all in this extended Star Wars Action News podcast!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Bourne is back! Robert Ludlum had never written a sequel to any of his novels before. That streak ended in 1986 when Jason Bourne (or really David Webb) has to travel to China in search of the men who kidnapped his woman. This novel bears virtually no resemblance to the Matt Damon film, but is it worth a read? Join Stuart in LA in this review to find out!

And if you enjoy Books & Nachos, support the show through our PodBean Crowdfunding Page!

This summer is a great time to be re-Bourne! Matt Damon is returning to play Jason Bourne for the fourth time. For many Bourne fans, however, it may be surprising to find out how different these Damon films are from Robert Ludlum’s original novels.

On this episode of Books & Nachos, join Stuart in L.A. as he gives a spoiler free review of this book, outlining the creator’s original vision for this spy who can’t remember his past.

And if you enjoy Books & Nachos, support the show through our PodBean Crowdfunding Page!

Highly detailed, highly articulated Star Wars 3.75-inch figures are the mainstay of many fans’ collections. The news that The Force Awakens would only see a handful of these Black Series figures, and that they would be Walmart exclusives, made fans worry if these new toys would be obtainable. The third wave, with versions of Han Solo, General Leia, and Captain Phasma from The Force Awakens, has been elusive and fetched north of $40 per figure on eBay. But now, finally, the dam has broken and these figures are showing up coast to coast–including in the Star Wars Action News studio! On this week’s show hear a review of these latest figures and see if they’re worth more toy runs!

Yet while the Black Series 3.75-inch figures have been elusive, the main line of figures, with five points of articulation, are available at every store. Fans were divided on these detailed, but hard-to-pose figures. Now, enter Kozy–a figure customizer who has created cardbacks that elevate these figures from average to epic! He joins the Star Wars Action News hosts to talk about these cards and his inspiration for making them.

With a look at upcoming exclusives for San Diego Comic-Con International and Celebration Europe, new online sales, and much more, it’s all in this Wampa-sized episode of Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

20 years have passed between the 1996 sci-fi hit Independence Day and this summer’s new Independence Day: Resurgence. That time passed in our real world–but it also went by for the fictional characters who survived that alien assault. Fans have long wondered–what happened on July 5, 1996? Were all the aliens killed when the ships went down? Some of this will be revealed in the new movie, but those wanting a fuller explanation can find it in the new novel Independence Day: Crucible by Greg Keyes. It spans all 20 years and follows old characters, like David Levinson and Steve Hiller, as well as new players like Jake Morrison and Dikembe Umbutu.

Did anything happen in that 20-year span to warrant a novel? Join Arnie in this Books & Nachos episode as he summarizes and reviews this new story — and the comic series Independence Day: Dark Fathom!

And if you enjoy Books & Nachos, support the show through our PodBean Crowdfunding Page!

She’s the most intriguing new alien introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She somehow has the lightsaber Luke lost on Bespin. She knows of the Force. She has a crush on the galaxy’s favorite Wookiee. She’s Maz Kanata — and if you want her in action figure form you have to buy the Takodana Encounter figure 4-pack. On this episode of Star Wars Action News, hear a review of that set to see if it’s worth hunting for!

Also on this show, last week ticket sales began for the eighth Star Wars Celebration in the United States, this time back in Orlando! Listen as Arnie and Marjorie are joined by Jake Stevens from From 4-Lom to Zuckuss as they look ahead to next year’s biggest Star Wars party.

With two new premium format figures from Sideshow, a real-life Star Wars hologram, and more information about this year’s Star Wars Celebration in London, it’s all in this brand new Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

May the 4th has come and gone, but for many the credit card hangover still remains. There were new releases from Disney, Sideshow, Gentle Giant, Hot Toys, plus sales at LEGO and more! Biggest of all, the next Star Wars Celebration convention was confirmed! On this week’s podcast Marjorie and Arnie are joined by Ryan and Amy from Star Wars Collecting Cosmos. The four look back on the highs, lows, and purchases of May the 4th, 2016!

Also on this week’s show, Brock reviews the new Star Wars novel BLOODLINE. Taking place between Episode VI and VII, this book had direct input from Lucasfilm to help shape the universe for Episode VIII. Join Brock to find out if this is a must read for you.

With a review of the S.H. Figuarts Captain Phasma, a Darth Vader Humidifier, and a run-down of the perks of being a Jedi Knight or Master, it’s all in this week’s new podcast!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

New Black Series figures are hitting shelves — but are they the last new 6-inch Star Wars toys we’ll see until fall? On this week’s Star Wars Action News, Marjorie and Arnie are joined by Marvelicious Toys podcast host Justin as they discuss the immediate future of the line. They also review the two new waves showing up in stores now, with new figures including Jango Fett, FN-2187, The Force Awakens style Han Solo, and A New Hope version of Tattooine Luke Skywalker!

Also on this week’s show, the hosts went to Indiana Comic-Con with special guests Ray Park and Ian McDiarmid. Join them, and their guest Daryl, as they discuss the convention–and the collectibles found there!

With a run-down of all the May the 4th day Star Wars specials known so far and more, it’s all in this oversized episode of Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

The Dead Zone was Stephen King’s follow-up to The Stand. This new novel, about a man who gained psychic powers after a head injury, became the author’s first number 1 best seller. It has gone on to be adapted to film by David Cronenberg, and a long-running cable TV series.

In this episode of Books & Nachos, Arnie looks back at the book that started it all. He analyzes King’s influences that led to the creation of the novel, and deconstructs the characters and plot. So now join him for a review of Stephen King’s novel over a year in the making!

And if you enjoy Books & Nachos, support the show through our PodBean Crowdfunding Page!

Star Wars action figure collectors have a wealth of options. Whereas once we had only Kenner/Hasbro action figures, these days there are options in every scale and price point. One of those new figure lines is Bandai’s S.H. Figuarts 6-inch line. The price is double that of a Hasbro 6-inch figure, but is it worth it? On this episode of Star Wars Action News Marjorie and Arnie give an in-depth review of the S.H. Figuarts First Order Stormtrooper, and tell you if it’s worth the price they paid!

And also on this week’s show, the hosts review Kotobukiya’s Art-FX+ First Order Stormtrooper statue 2-pack. Listen in to find out why this may be a statue collection you want to troop build!

With a complete run down of all US Blu-ray releases of The Force Awakens, news of an upcoming prototype Elite Series figure, and the latest rumors for 2016’s Force Friday event, it’s all on this Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better and bring back the full video podcasts, but we need your help to make it happen!

Tomorrow The Force Awakens arrives on Blu-Ray — the first new
live-action Star Wars home release in 11 years. There are a handful of
exclusive versions and many tie-in sales. Prep for your Tuesday shopping
by joining Arnie and Marjorie to find out which version is right for
you!

Plus tomorrow also marks the rerelease of the Disney Store
exclusive Elite figures — including a new Boba Fett! Find out how you
can score these figures that have commanded top dollar on eBay.

With a report from Wizard World Chicago, a review of the latest Funko
Smuggler’s Bounty box, and more, it’s all in this new episode of Star
Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better, and need your help to make it happen!

This past weekend was C2E2 in Chicago. Marjorie, Arnie, and Daryl were there checking out the panels and all the booths at the con. Join them on this episode as they report on their hunts for items like Bandai Movie Realization figures, S.H. Figuarts Stormtroopers, Hasbro Black Series, and more! Plus they highlight some special Artist’s Alley finds.

Also on this episode, Jerry is back with another Vintage Viewpoint. He looks at the classic Stormtrooper Blaster toy, and reveals its surprising Batman tie!

Finally Andrew is back with two new Hot Toys — A New Hope Luke and Stormtrooper Luke Skywalker. Does he like these Lukes? Join him to find out in this new Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better, and need your help to make it happen!

Watchmen. It was the only comic listed on Time Magazine’s List of the 100 Best Novels list. It also was in The Comic’s Journal’s list of the Top 100 Comics of the 20th Century. It has been revered by comic lovers and neophytes alike. Now Arnie and Jakob come together to review all 12 issues of this series, and also give a brief look at the recent Before Watchmen prequel series!

Then head to Now Playing Podcast to hear Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review crew’s thoughts on Zack Snyder’s film adaptation!

While most of us spent Force Friday, 2015 standing outside our local toy stores, Hot Toys collectors were making tough choices. Up for pre-order that day were the first wave of figures for The Force Awakens — and there were lots of them! More pre-orders followed, and now Hot Toys fans are rewarded by a legion of figures showing up on their doorsteps. In this episode Andrew assembles his ranks of Hot Toys First Order Stormtroopers. How different are they, and were they worth the price? Join him to find out!

Also on this week’s show, Marjorie and Arnie review Wave 3 of the Star Wars Black Series 6-inch figures, with a First Order TIE Fighter Pilot and a Resistance Trooper. Plus they also run down all the news regarding The Force Awakens Blu-Ray releases!

All this and a report from Wizard World Cleveland in this latest episode of Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better, and need your help to make it happen!

Toy Fair International is over, and Star Wars Action News is here to wrap-up all the news collectors care about!

In this episode Marjorie and Arnie recap their Javitz booth visits. They spoke with Dan from Kotobukiya about their upcoming Art-FX+ statues and housewares goods. Funko reveals new POPs, and hints at upcoming Hikari Sofubi characters. Revell shows off new models and teases their Rogue One offerings. Plus several others!

And also this show you can hear Hasbro’s Star Wars Brand Presentation. Our previous episode ran down the reveals, but now you can hear the full presentation straight from Hasbro’s team!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better, and need your help to make it happen!

Marjorie and Arnie are in New York City to bring you the latest news from Toy Fair International 2016! And if that’s not enough — they’re also giving away a Sideshow Collectibles 12-inch Boba Fett figure!

In this first part of their coverage, join them as they discuss all the latest reveals from Hasbro’s Toy Fair presentation. Hasbro displayed two new Sabine figures from Rebels, A New Hope Luke and Leia in the 6-inch Series, and more 6-inch Black Series figures. Plus they revealed news about their upcoming summer convention exclusives, for both Celebration Europe and San Diego Comic-Con! Join in to catch up on the news!

Also in this first episode the hosts run down all the new sets revealed by LEGO, and they are Hoth! Hoth! Hoth! Arnie saw the new Ultimate Collector Set Hoth diorama first hand. Listen in to find out if it’s the best new set on display, or if the new X-Wing, Carbon Freezing Chamber, or other sets stole the show!

With a thumbs-up BB-8 from Jakks Pacific and more, it’s all in this first Toy Fair 2016 episode of Star Wars Action News!

And also check out Star Wars Action News’ crowdfunding campaign on Podbean! We want to make the show better, and need your help to make it happen!

Toy Fair International is just 5 days away! This weekend Hasbro, LEGO, Kotobukiya, and so many more companies will reveal their 2016 Star Wars line-up. But will there be much to show? On this week’s Star Wars Action News, Marjorie and Arnie prepare for the coverage and tell you what has already leaked out!

And one of the big reveals at Toy Fair last year was the Tamshii Nations Movie Realization Star Wars line featuring Darth Vader and Stormtroopers as Japanese samurai. On this show we review the newest release in that line — the Ronin Boba Fett!

With a look at new ceramic Star Wars dinnerware, a new Hot Toys figure aimed right at gamers, and much more, it’s all in this new Star Wars Action News!

Star Wars Action News is back with its first regular show of 2016, and it’s a Hot one! Marjorie and Arnie are joined by Hot Toys addict Andrew to review two of that company’s Movie Masterpiece Series Star Wars figures. First, the three look at the Star Wars Celebration Anaheim exclusive Spacetrooper figure. It’s still available on their site — should you order it?

Then Andrew talks about his biggest Hot Toys purchase, the quarter scale Boba Fett. This 18-inch Mandalorian carries a hefty bounty. Listen to find out if he’s worth a lot to Andrew!

With Brock reviewing Alan Dean Foster’s The Force Awakens novelization, a run-down on new figures hitting stores, and a cuddly Valentine’s Day bouquet, it’s all in this brand new episode of Star Wars Action News!

For Star Wars collectors 2015 started in a famine and ended in a feast — with plenty of highs and lows along the way! We look back at the Star Wars Celebration: Anaheim reveals, the convention exclusives, and all the action figures, mini-busts, import figures, and high-end collectibles. Plus the bottled water, the oranges, the cereals, and all the other tie-ins!

So listen now as Arnie and Marjorie are joined by other Star Wars Action News team members and friends and look back on the year that was…and the next year to come!

Then come to our forums to talk about The Force Awakens. We have threads for both the spoiler-filled and spoiler-free conversations!

SPOILER WARNING: This podcast has an in-depth discussion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The toys, the movie, the books, are all fair game.

Nothing shakes up Star Wars collecting more than a new property. Every movie and TV series brings new figure lines, vehicles, and more. In the case of The Force Awakens we even got water and produce!

Fans have been collecting Force Awakens figures on blind faith ever since Force Friday in early September. For over three months we’ve speculated — why doesn’t the Finn figure come with a lightsaber? Who is Constable Zuvvio?

But now the film has awoken fans across the globe!

And on this episode of Star Wars Action News, the first part of our 2015 year-in-review coverage, Marjorie and Arnie are joined by many friends to discuss the new film Join them to find out how the movie impacted them…and their collections!

Then come to our forums to talk about The Force Awakens. We have threads for both the spoiler-filled and spoiler-free conversations!

It was the figure find heard across the world! Some claimed the figure was a spoiler, others started their own hunts, and Disney and Lucasfilm started sending takedown notices. What’s all the hullabaloo about? And was the figure worth the trouble it caused? Justin joins Arnie and Marjorie on this show to tell the tale!

Also on this week’s show, Arnie, Marjorie, and Justin report on the latest store finds and online exclusives. With figure multi-pack exclusives at Toys R Us and Kohls, and a Disney exclusive Boba Fett that’s commanding a huge bounty, join the hosts for all the news.

With an in depth look at the new Star Wars Topps Trading Cards book and more, The Force Awakens on Star Wars Action News!

Last week the fourth, and final, Hunger Games film Mockingjay Part 2, dominated theaters. Now that you’ve had a chance to see how the movie concludes the story of Katniss Everdeen you can join Stuart for his review of Collins original Mockingjay novel.

Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review crew’s thoughts on all the Hunger Games films! Those movie reviews are only available during the Fall, 2015 donation drive, so donate today!

While your uncle gets drunk and your sister yells about football we give you our 11th annual Holiday Gift Guide. What do you get for the Star Wars collector who has everything? Or what should those in your life buy for you? Marjorie and Arnie, along with guest host Andrew, have dozens of gift ideas here in this show. From stocking stuffers to action figures to life sized statues, the whole range is in this guide!

Plus the Black Friday sales are about to start. As early as 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning stores are starting their deep discounts for the holiday season. Are there any Star Wars sales worth braving the crowds? Listen to find out!

And be sure you get, and give, a Star Wars themed gift this year! Our annual Sithmas gift exhange registration is open. Sign up before Dec 2 to join in this fun Secret Santa type fun. Find out all the details and sign up now.

In 2009 Catching Fire fanned the flames of Hunger Games fans worldwide. Continuing the adventures of Katniss Everdeen, Collins’ novel puts her back in the arena for another adventure. In preparation for tonight’s release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 movie, join Stuart in L.A. for a look back at Collins’ middle novel in the trilogy.

Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review crew’s thoughts on all the Hunger Games films! Those movie reviews are only available during the Fall, 2015 donation drive, so donate today!

As The Force Awakens draws closer we get new information, new trailers, and…new toys! With the Guavian Enforcer, Captain Phasma, Constable Zuvio and Poe Dameron the second wave of 6-inch Black Series figures is hitting stores now. On this episode of Star Wars Action News Marjorie and Arnie review this new wave of figures–and try to guess how they fit into the new movie. And they also review the new KMart exclusive Kylo Ren – Starkiller Base Black Series figure.

Also on this week’s show, with tomorrow’s release of Battlefront the game, Brock joins us to look at the Star Wars: Battlefront novel Twilight Company. He also reviews the new audiobook adaptations for the young readers’ adaptations of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

With Berent’s report from Gentle Giant Days in Burbank, a rundown of new Star Wars merchandise hitting stores, and more, it’s all in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

Listen to this episode, then head to NowPlayingPodcast.com Nov 17 as they begin their review of the Star Wars prequels, leading up to their weekend of release review of The Force Awakens!

Adopt a Pegwarmer Day – Nov 21, 2015!

Once again Star Wars Action News is championing Toys For Tots with their Adopt a Pegwarmer Day! On November 21, 2015 go out and buy a new figure or toy and put it in the Toys For Tots bin, helping move stale Star Wars stock and helping give a child a happy holiday this year!

Plus the first 100 people to send a photo of you donating a Star Wars figure to Toys For Tots to @swactionnews on Twitter will get a Star Wars Action News 10th Anniversary patch!

So pick that pegwarmer today and make a child have a very happy holiday!

The Hunger Games novels topped the New York Times best seller lists and went on to become Amazons all-time top selling book series (outselling even Harry Potter). It has since gone on to become a billion-dollar film franchise. In anticipation of the upcoming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Stuart in LA is here to review the original novels.

In this episode Stuart looks at the original The Hunger Games. Is this the next Twilight, or is it the next The Running Man? Join Stuart in L.A. now for this review, then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review crew’s thoughts on the film! Those movie reviews are only available during the Fall, 2015 donation drive, so donate today!

In 1999 Japanese author Koushun Takami gained global notice for his novel Battle Royale. In this ultraviolent, 600-plus page dystopian novel the Japanese government holds an annual competition where Junior High students must kill each other. The last student to survive is the “winner.” The book has been released multiple times in English, been the inspiration for the Battle Royale film series, and had a manga adaptation. And Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins has been accused of plagiarizing Battle Royale for her hit trilogy.

Is the novel worth the fuss? Join Stuart in L.A. now for this review of the English translation of Battle Royale. Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review crew’s thoughts on the film! Those movie reviews are only available during the Fall, 2015 donation drive, so donate today!

Only 50 days until The Force Awakens and Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie couldn’t be more excited. Tickets have been purchased, plans made, and the countdown is on.

But for collecting it may be easier to list the items that don’t have Star Wars tie-ins instead of those that do. Soup, bottled water, apples, coffee creamer, El Paso Tacos! On this week’s show the hosts sift through the plethora of items and tell you which are the cool ones to hunt for.

With new waves of Hasbro figures hitting shelves, Black Series exclusives from Walmart, Target, and K-Mart, and where you can find Wave 2 of the new Force Awakens figures, it’s all on this week’s Star Wars Action News!

Adopt a Pegwarmer Day – Nov 21, 2015!

Once again Star Wars Action News is championing Toys For Tots with their Adopt a Pegwarmer Day! On November 21, 2015 go out and buy a new figure or toy and put it in the Toys For Tots bin, helping move stale Star Wars stock and helping give a child a happy holiday this year!

Plus the first 100 people to send a photo of you donating a Star Wars figure to Toys For Tots to @swactionnews on Twitter will get a Star Wars Action News 10th Anniversary patch!

So pick that pegwarmer today and make a child have a very happy holiday!

Hot Toys has shipped its half-witted, scruffy looking, nerf herder…and his walking carpet pal! That’s right, the first Hot Toys Star Wars figures ever announced — Han Solo and Chewbacca — have now shipped, and Andrew has them in hand! Listen to this episode to find out why one of them has become his favorite Hot Toys figure yet!

Also in this week’s episode, Arnie has come back from New York Comic-Con with tons of photos and news about Hasbro, Kotobukiya, and other Star Wars collectibles. Join him, Marjorie, and guest Matt Booker from JediNews.uk to find out all the news, and then listen to an exclusive Q&A with the Hasbro Brand Team. They revealed when stores will fully stock new figures only to Star Wars Action News!

With Brock looking at the new short stories in the Rise of the Empire novel collection, Steve running down his thoughts on the new Force Awakens 3.75-inch figures, and more, it’s all on this week’s Star Wars Action News!

It’s been one month since Force Friday but the onslaught of new Star Wars products has not let up. From tie in items like vitamins to cereal to toothpaste to Pop Chips, Star Wars is on everything. And of course that means lots of new toys too!

On this episode of Star Wars Action News Arnie and Marjorie are joined by Andrew to look at some of the new Star Wars items in a head to head match.

First we put two BB-8s to the test — Hasbro’s Target Exclusive Remote Control BB-8 versus Sphero’s App Controlled BB-8. One is bigger, one is more expensive, but should you buy one, both, or neither?

Then we look at Disney’s new Elite line of 6.5-inch Die Cast action figures. They’re $5 more than Hasbro’s Black Series 6-inch, but every bit as in demand, selling out nationwide. On this show we put Disney’s Elite First Order Stormtrooper to the test against Hasbro’s Black Series counterpart.

Plus Brock joins us for a review of the novel Aftermath, we look at Hot Toys’ new Star Wars releases, and more on this episode of Star Wars Action News!

Last Friday was declared “Force Friday” by Lucasfilm — the day that hundreds of items would be revealed and released for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Hasbro figures big and small, Jakks Pacific gumbo figures, Micro Machines, LEGO sets, Disney Store exclusives, and so much more was unleashed upon fans in a global, coordinated 12:01 a.m. release.

But the biggest event happened at the Times Square Toys R Us. With a day full of events, a traveling Rancho Obi-Wan exhibit from Steve Sansweet, and hundreds of fans hungry for toys, the flagship Toys R Us was the center of activity — and Marjorie & Arnie were there to cover it!

On this episode of Star Wars Action News, join Marjorie & Arnie as they recount the events of Force Friday, including both before and after interviews with Steve Sansweet.

Then other Star Wars Action News team members report in with midwest toy releases, a report from the Disneyland exclusive ticketed toy release, and even a report from the UK on the release! All the hosts share their experiences, their purchases, and their frustrations in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

And after you watch, come to the Star Wars Action News forums and share your tale of Force Friday shopping!

Ten years ago, August 30, 2005, two Star Wars collectors released the world’s first podcast dedicated to Star Wars collecting: Star Wars Action News. From the Revenge of the Sith line through The Black Series, and even looking back at Vintage and 90s toys, Marjorie and Arnie have covered it all.

This episode celebrates the milestone, bringing in Star Wars Action News team members Arnie, Marjorie, Brock, Jerry, Daryl, Andrew, and others as they look forward to a new era of Star Wars collecting with The Force Unleashed!

Join them as they talk Wizard World Chicago, leaked images of The Force Awakens toys and figures, and their plans for next week’s Force Friday event!

We are less than one month away from Force Friday – the day when an onslaught of new Star Wars toys, books, collectibles, and more will be released! On this week’s Star Wars Action News, Marjorie and Arnie look forward to the upcoming event and want your story from that night!

Also on this week’s show, the hosts review the new Star Wars line of die cast starships from Hot Wheels. With a mix of Original Trilogy, Prequel, Clone Wars, and Rebels ships, this line enters an already crowded area of miniature Star Wars vehicles. Listen to find out if these ships are the ones you should collect!

With a gaming report from 2015’s Gen Con, a review of some quality Star Wars ladies’ accessories, some deep discount Star Wars graphic novels and more, it’s all in this new episode of Star Wars Action News!

Plus, in 2 weeks Star Wars Action News turns 10! To celebrate, the crew is throwing a FREE party at Wizard World Chicago, Saturday Aug. 22. There will be tons of prizes donated by DorksideToys.com, Big Bad Toy Store, Kotobukiya, Diamond Select Toys, and others!

Plus there will be an exclusive T-Shirt, and an exclusive 10th Anniversary Star Wars Action News coin available only to attendees!

The 2015 San Diego Comic-Con is gone, but not forgotten. In addition to the exclusive First Order Stormtrooper selling out faster than you can say “Blast it!”, the images of giant TIE Fighters, working R2-D2 robots, and McQuarrie art based statues still dance in our heads.

Last week you had a floor tour of the major booths at the con. Now join Marjorie and Arnie this week as they recap San Diego Comic-Con, including the companies with the best showings and the coolest items coming soon. They are also joined by resident Hot Toys expert Andrew to discuss that TIE Fighter and that even bigger Millennium Falcon, and Berent recounts his experience getting into the Star Wars panel at Hall H!

Also on this week’s show, Steve “The Gingerprince” reports in from a convention on the other side of the pond: London Film and Comic Con. He recounts his celebrity meetings and rare purchases at the con.

All this and Brock’s review of Dark Disciple in this week’s new Star Wars Action News!

Plus, next month Star Wars Action News turns 10! To celebrate, the crew is throwing a party at Wizard World Chicago, Saturday Aug. 22. There will be tons of prizes donated by DorksideToys.com, Big Bad Toy Store, Kotobukiya, Diamond Select Toys, and others!

Plus there will be an exclusive T-Shirt, and an exclusive 10th Anniversary Star Wars Action News coin available only to attendees!

Star Wars was back in a big way at San Diego Comic-Con 2015. Hasbro and Hot Toys competed for the most impressive TIE Fighter on the floor. eFX filled a booth with upcoming prop replicas–including a fully functional, life-sized R2-D2, and Gentle Giant couldn’t satiate the demand for both the Jumbo and mini-Bust versions of Boba Fett.

Marjorie and Arnie were there on the floor of the con the entire time, posting interviews, panels, and more to the Star Wars Action News YouTube channel. Now you can download their coverage to your iPhone and feel like you were there at the convention!

With an exclusive Hasbro Q&A, a look forward at offerings from Gentle Giant, a Hot Toys booth tour and so much more, it’s on this episode of Star Wars Action News.

For even more coverage, subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see the Hasbro Panel, the Star Wars Collectibles Panel, and the Star Wars Books panels in full!

Michael Crichton never intended to write a sequel to his bestselling novel Jurassic Park. But when Stephen Spielberg’s film was a smash success and the director, and fans, requested a follow-up, Crichton obliged. What were the results? Join Stuart in L.A. for this review of Crichton’s novel, then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear that crew’s thoughts on the film! Those movie reviews are only available until July 31, 2015, then they become extinct like the dinosaurs, so donate today!

As announced Monday, Hasbro has started a new poll where Star Wars fans and collectors pick which figure is made for the company’s new 6-inch Black Series line of Star Wars figures.

Star Wars Action News was invited to poll their fans on which characters they wanted. Round 1 was a completely open nomination form, and over 70 different figures were nominated. Of all the figures requested, the single figure with the most nominations was Ackmena, the singing cantina owner from the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special. In a close second place was Brea Tonnika — a background character in the cantina from first Star Wars film.

The top 30 nominees have been taken into Round 2 of voting! Here each Star Wars fan chooses the one figure they want most in 6-inch plastic form. This second round of voting ends Monday, June 29th, and then the five characters with the most votes will be submitted to Hasbro.

The first 20 characters were picked from the first round of nominations:

Once more, fans get to pick an upcoming character in the Star Wars line of figures.

Hasbro announced today that they are starting a new poll where Star Wars fans and collectors pick which figure is made. This time, however, the poll is not for the long-running 3.75-inch line of figures, but for Hasbro’s newer 6-inch Black Series figure line.

To make it even more exciting, all Star Wars characters are eligible (except those from the unreleased The Force Awakens movie). With that statement Hasbro has given fans perhaps their only chance to get a 6-inch action figure based on the Star Wars comics and novels that were removed from canon and put into the “Legends” category. Of course, all characters from the films, major or minor, would also be given consideration.

Hasbro has confirmed to Star Wars Action News any character is eligible, including the long-desired Tonnika Sisters from A New Hope, Vlix from the 80s Droids series, and even Lumpy and Ackmena (Bea Arthur) from The Star Wars Holiday Special!

Also of note: if the chosen character is from the Star Wars animated series Rebels or The Clone Wars the figure would be done in a realistic style consistent with the Black Series line’s look.

This year’s Fan’s Choice poll is being run by various Star Wars collecting sites, including Venganza Media’s own Star Wars Action News. Before June 30th each participating site will submit to Hasbro their Top 5 list, with the #1 character getting 6 points, the #2 character 5 points, #3 character 4 points, and so on.

From the compiled lists from all the sites the character with the highest number of points will be immortalized in plastic–and Hasbro will reveal which character was chosen during their San Diego Comic-Con panel on July 10th.

Star Wars Action News is handling this with two rounds of voting. First, they have opened a Figure Nomination thread in their forums. In that post fans can free-form enter any characters they want. That phase will be open until June 25th. Then on the 25th a second poll will be opened where each fan can vote on the one figure they want most. That poll will close on June 29th and the top five figures submitted to Hasbro on the 30th.

San Diego Comic-Con draws closer, and with that come even more reveals. From Lucasfilm’s Hall H panel on Friday to something even more exciting for collectors — the reveals of the first toys from Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. Marjorie and Arnie run down this news, and rate your chances of scoring the SDCC exclusive Hasbro figure, on this week’s show!

Then Brock and Jerry join forces for a segment that’s both a book review and a segment for vintage collectors as they look back on the various books that help collectors of the early Star Wars toys.

With Darryl providing a review of the new Star Wars figures from S.H. Figuarts, Steve “The Gingerprince” reporting on the latest UK conventions, and a contest to win a custom melted Vader head, it’s all in this issue of Star Wars Action News!

Kotobukiya had one of the most stunning booth displays at Star Wars Celebration 2015. Their Art-FX+ display of dozens of Stormtroopers standing at the ready, with Royal Guards and Vader at the fore, was truly a spectacular sight to behold. They also continued to grow this line of tenth-scale statues with their celebration exclusive K-3PO and R3-A2 droid pack. Marjorie and Arnie review those new droids, as well as the Royal Guard Art-FX+ two-pack, in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

Also in this episode, a rundown of the recently announced SDCC exclusives, more news on finding the “cancelled” wave of Droid Factory figures, A New Hope for Hot Toys, and more — it’s all in this brand new Star Wars Action News show!

Today the words Jurassic Park bring to mind a T-Rex roaring at a car, Sam Neil running through a pack of CGI dinosaurs, and John Williams score–all from Steven Spielberg’s hit 1993 film. But before it was a movie, Jurassic Park was a bestselling novel by sci-fi author Michael Crichton. The book and the movie share some basic plot elements, but there are also key differences. How do they compare? Join Stuart in L.A. for this review of Crichton’s novel, then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear that crew’s thoughts on the film! Those movie reviews are only available until July 31, 2015, then they become extinct like the dinosaurs, so donate today!

Hot Toys’ line of Movie Masterpiece 12-inch scale figures continues to grow. Luke and Leia have been teased, and recently they shipped their first non-exclusive figure: The Stormtrooper, soldindividually and in a two-pack. Andrew has them in hand and is here with an in-depth review.

Also in this week’s show is a discussion of the “cancelled” wave of Droid Factory figures that inexplicably appeared for sale at Go! Calendar stores across the country. Johnathan has them in hand and gives his thoughts, as well as a report of what he’s finding in stores.

With Brock reviewing Paul S Kemp’s new novel Lords of the Sith, Steve the Gingerprince giving a report from Star Wars Fan Fun Days, and Arnie and Marjorie recording live at Wizard World St. Louis, it’s all in this week’s Star Wars Action News podcast!

Note: This podcast discusses details of The Force Awakens obtained from the second trailer and the props shown at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

It’s May 4th, the day fans designated “Star Wars day” and has been quickly co-opted by every Star Wars licensee to discount the items that don’t sell! But here is welcome relief from a deluge of 10% off codes — a new episode of Star Wars Action News!

In this, our final episode from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015, Marjorie and Arnie record right from the show floor. Join them for booth tours of Sideshow, eFX Collectibles, the Celebration official store, and more!

Note: This podcast discusses details of The Force Awakens obtained from the second trailer and the props shown at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

Toys, panels, autographs, swap meets, trading, exclusive reveals and more — Star Wars Celebration Anaheim had so much to do that no one podcast can contain it all. So in this episode we get four!

Marjorie, Berent, and Arnie from Star Wars Action News, Matt Fox from This Week in Star Wars, Jason Luttrull and Ryan Beise from Galaxy of Toys, and Amy Sjoberg from Star Wars Collecting Cosmos came together for the biggest podcast of the convention!

Join the gang as they discuss Star Wars collecting at Celebration, The Force Awakens, and so much more!

If you missed Celebration this show will make you feel like you were there! If you attended the con, relive the experience, all with this mega-packed podcast!

Watch now, and then join us in a few days for even more coverage of Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015!

Note: This podcast discusses details of The Force Awakens obtained from the second trailer and the props shown at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

The seventh Star Wars Celebration convention was an explosion of fandom held in Anaheim, CA. With new trailers and teasers shown for the next two Star Wars films, a gaggle of celebrities, and tens of thousands of fans, the event captivated fans worldwide!

Now in the first part of Star Wars Action News’ coverage of the convention comes this recording of the Live Podcast recorded Saturday afternoon at Celebration! Marjorie and Arnie are joined by Star Wars Action News team members Daryl and Andrew to discuss the reveals, the exclusives, the lines, and more!

Watch now, and then join us in a few days for even more coverage of Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015!

In 3 days the world’s largest Star Wars party begins — Star Wars Celebration Anaheim! With attendance projected to be the largest of any Star Wars convention and overnights already planned for the J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy panel, it’s the single largest collection of Star Wars fans and collectors–and that means plenty of exclusives! From Kotobukiya to Gentle Giant to the official Celebration store–listen as Marjorie and Arnie run down the must buys!

But not all the collectibles are for sale–some are just given away! Yes, more than the official exclusives this seems to be the celebration of Star Wars SWAG! Patches, pins, buttons, toys, Star Tots, and so much more is just waiting to join your collection! The Star Wars Action News hosts discuss this–and preview the Star Wars Action News Celebration Anaheim SWAG–in this week’s episode!

With a store report by Johnathan, a discussion of the digital download releases of the Star Wars saga, and Jerry with a neo-Vintage Viewpoint, it’s plenty to keep you entertained in line while you wait to get in the con! So download this episode of Star Wars Action News now!

Star Wars Celebration is just 2 weeks away–have you gotten in line yet? Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie will be there running the Collector’s Social Area, part of the official Celebration Collector’s Track of events! On this week’s podcast, they run down the exclusives announced so far for the convention, and tell you about the one event no Star Wars collector should miss–the Swap Meet Saturday night at 7pm.

Also on this week’s show Andrew joins the hosts to look at the first figure in a new line of Star Wars figures: Hot Toys’ Shadow Trooper. After many years of creating the single best figure line for Marvel movie fans Hot Toys has now come to the Galaxy Far, Far Away. They’ve put seven figures up for pre-order already, but the first to ship was the black-armored trooper. Watch this week’s show to see how this figure ranks, and if you have to add it to your collection!

King’s first novel wasn’t Carrie, it was The Long Walk written while the author was a college freshman. It tells of a dystopian, alternate America in which the national pastime isn’t Baseball, it’s a contest of stamina and will–The Long Walk. King’s story of one of these Walks, and walker Raymond Garraty, wouldn’t be published for over a decade, until it was released in 1979 as the second novel by King’s pen name “Richard Bachman.”

In this episode of Books & Nachos, Arnie reviews and analyzes this early work by the bestselling author. Join him now in this review of the second Bachman Book!

In less than one month the world’s largest Star Wars party takes place in Anaheim — Star Wars Celebration! There will be celebrities, exclusives, panels, vendors and more! There will also be lines, standing and waiting, rooms filled before you get in, and bottles of soda for almost $5 each.

On this week’s Star Wars Action News Marjorie and Arnie help you prepare to get the most out of Celebration! At Celebration 5 and 6 they presented their panel A Bottle of Water and a Plan and now they bring it to the podcast so everyone can have the best time at Celebration!

And for this special show they are joined by other convention veterans, Jerry, Daryl, and Chris! All the panelists have been at multiple Star Wars Celebrations, as well as a combined hundreds of other conventions including San Diego Comic-Con! They even recorded this at Indiana Comic-Con this weekend! Save your feet with their tips!

Plus find out about the Star Wars Celebration Collectors’ Swap Meet, special exclusive Celebration patches and pins, and more! It’s all in this pre-Celebration episode of Star Wars Action News!

At Toy Fair International last week Funko was one of the few companies with lots of new Star Wars toys and collectibles on display. A rising Force in Star Wars collections, Funko has cornered the market on “cute” Star Wars figures. Last year they expanded that line to include Star Wars Fabrikations. They’re part action figure, part plushie, and all adorable. On this week’s Star Wars Action News Marjorie and Arnie look at three figures in this line: Boba Fett, Chewbacca, and Yoda!

For more high end Star Wars collectors, the first Star Wars figure from Hot Toys is shipping soon–the Shadow Stormtrooper! To prepare, listen to a review of that other Hot Toys Star Wars figure–the Bespin Luke Skywalker. Done as part of Sideshow’s 1/6 scale figure line, this version of Luke was a partnership with Hot Toys and shows what fans can expect from the new company.

With a review of the new Star Wars novel Heir to the Jedi, a review of the Disney Store exclusive Empire Strikes Back figure set, Star Wars Celebration Anaheim announcements, and more, it’s all in this week’s Star Wars Action News show!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details

Want to lift X-Wing starfighters with the power of your mind? Or proudly display figures showing Darth Vader as a feudal samurai? What about having a rubbery vinyl toy of a Wampa with blood spilled down his front? From new Celebration Anaheim exclusives to toys that boggle the mind, all that and more was revealed in New York City’s Javits Center during Toy Fair International 2015!

On this episode of Star Wars Action News join Marjorie and Arnie for a virtual tour around the booths of Toy Fair featuring Statues, Role Playing Games, toys, housewares and more! Find out about the funky new Funko collectibles including a rainbow Bossk! Then hear an exclusive interview with Kotobukiya’s Dan Lujan to find out about upcoming statues, including the fate of the female Stormtrooper Bishoujo.

The Force Awakens in 2012, but not for 10 more months, so find out all the Star Wars goodies coming before then in this Star Wars Action News show!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details

Mark Millar’s comic Kick-Ass was adapted to film by director Matthew Vaughn. Now the two have teamed up again with Kingsman: The Secret Service, an idea the two men spawned while filming Kick-Ass. The story tells of Gary, a juvenile delinquent who’s given one last chance at a legitimate life–as a British secret agent! A clever twist on the old James Bond formula, is this comic worth reading? Join the hosts to find out, then join them LIVE, Tuesday Feb 17th at 9:30 pm EST at NowPlayingPodcast.com for the review of the movie Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Star Wars Celebration, San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic-Con…when it comes to toy news they all pale compared to New York Toy Fair International. The show is where toy manufacturers reveal most of the toys that will ship throughout the year. The show is for the toy makers to sell to wholesalers and retailers, but press is let in and for collectors it becomes a preview of the year’s new Star Wars toys!

On the first part of the Star Wars Action News report from Toy Fair find out about all the announcements from some of the biggest Star Wars toy manufacturers–LEGO, Hasbro, and Jakks Pacific! With an exclusive interview with Hasbro’s Star Wars brand team and more, it’s all in this episode!

And check back next week for more interviews and news from Toy Fair!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details

Howard the Duck Waddles Into Your Favorite Marvel Comics for Special April Variants!

New York, NY — February 4th, 2015 — Sure, the highly anticipated HOWARD THE DUCK #1 from Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones hits comic shops in March, but Marvel is keeping the celebration going all the way into April! Today, Marvel is proud to unveil WHAT THE DUCK?! Month – a series of 20 special variant covers for April featuring that fabulous fowl, Howard The Duck! Now is your chance to see some of the most popular artists in the industry provide their own spin on that magnificent mallard!

“Response to the announcement of the new Howard the Duck series has been staggering,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “There were so many talented artists eager to take a quack at drawing a Howard cover we couldn’t resist building an entire variant month around him. This April is going to be WTD certified!”

Today, Marvel is excited to reveal the following WTD Variants by some of Marvel’s greatest cover artists:

·All-New Hawkeye #2 – WTD Variant Cover by Francesco Francavilla

·Amazing Spider-Man #17 – WTD Variant Cover by W. Scott Forbes

·Rocket Raccoon #10 – WTD Variant Cover by Rob Guillory

·Uncanny Inhumans #0 – WTD Variant Cover by Christian Ward

Look for these additional WTD Variants to grace the covers of these exciting Marvel comics throughout the month of April:

·All-New Captain America #6

·All-New X-Men #41

·Ant-Man #4

·Daredevil #15

·Deadpool #45 (a.k.a. Deadpool #250)

·Guardians of the Galaxy #26

·Hulk #14

·Inhuman #14

·Legendary Star-Lord #11

·Ms. Marvel #14

·S.H.I.E.L.D. #5

·Silk #3

·Spider-Gwen #3

·Superior Iron Man #7

·Thor #7

·Uncanny Avengers #4

No fan can afford to miss out on these exciting variant covers featuring the one and only web-footed wonder! Run, don’t walk to your comic shops this April to get your hands on these can’t miss WHAT THE DUCK?! Variant Covers!

The Star Wars Action News Year-End shows conclude with this second part of the team’s roundtable discussion!

Arnie and Marjorie are joined by Steve “The Gingerprince”, Johnathan, Curtis, Daryl, Brock, Jay and Andrew to look back at the high-end collectibles that Force-d them to open their wallets! From Gentle Giant mini-busts to Sideshow Premium Format Figures and the new, high end sixth scale figure line from Hot Toys, it’s all discussed in this show!

Then the team puts 2014 to bed and looks forward to what 2015 Awakens. With the first new live-action Star Wars film in a decade coming this December, Rebels on television, and a new continuity for novels and comics, join them to hear what is in store!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In this final segment of this review Arnie gives is final review on the book, discusses which of the three print editions is best, and also reviews Marvel Comic’s 31-issue comic series based on King’s novel.

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In the fifth part of this review Arnie looks at The Stand’s climax, which reaches biblical proportions, and compares the ending in the original and the 1990 unabridged versions.

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In the fourth part of the review Arnie looks at Book II of The Stand, including the survivors’ struggles in Boulder and King’s own struggles with the narrative.

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In the third part of this review Arnie analyzes the evil characters in the novel, including Randall Flagg, Lloyd Henreid, and The Trashcan Man. Also a look at the book’s supporting characters Harold, Nadine, Glen, and Rita, and the thought that they may all be psychic!

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In the second part of this podcast series Arnie explores the heroic characters featured in The Stand, including Stuart Redmond, Fran Goldsmith, Larry Underwood, and Nick Andros. He also analyzes the deadly superflu Captain Trips, and the start of the novel’s biblical allegories.

With his fifth published novel Stephen King went big–a tale about God and demons with the backdrop of a dystopian future. Involving fears both realistic and fantastic, many King fans cite this as the author’s best work to date. Now Arnie continues his reviews of all King’s works with this multi-part podcast series reviewing The Stand.

In the first part of this podcast series Arnie reveals the history of the stand and how it was inspired by Patty Hearst and some dead sheep. He also provides an analysis of the original, iconic cover art, and how George Lucas and J.R.R. Tolkien factor into this 1978 novel!

For Star Wars fans 2014 came in with a whimper but went out with a bang! From a year that started with few Star Wars figures to be found in either the 4 or 6-inch scales, it ended with Expanded Universe 6-Inch figures, new lines of 3.75-inch figures, and Star Wars fans everywhere trying to “get to da Chopper!”

Now in the first part of the Star Wars Action News year in review, the Star Wars Action News team looks back at 2014 from the point of view of a toy collector. Marjorie and Arnie are joined by several other collectors to rate the best and worst of Star Wars collecting this year!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

It’s been a long time since Star Wars action figure collectors could shop exclusively at their local brick-and-mortar stores to get the figures they wanted. Since the release of Hasbro’s The Vintage Collection in 2010 store supplies have been scarce. Now, however, that seems ready to change! Across the country collectors are finding new Black Series figures in both 3.75-inch and 6-inch lines, plus new Rebels and Mission Series figures too! On this episode of Star Wars Action News you can listen to find out which stores to hit to score full waves of new figures.

Also on this week’s show, Arnie and Marjorie discuss Hot Toys’ first exclusive release in their Star Wars Movie Masterpiece Series–the Shadow Stormtrooper. A repaint of their basic Stormtrooper figure, this release sold out in just a few hours at Sideshow Collectibles. What’s the fuss all about? Listen to find out!

With a review of James Lucino’s new Star Wars novel Tarkin and Jerry looking back on books of yesteryear, and ThinkGeek plushes too, you’ll find all this and more in this Episode of Star Wars Action News!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

Want to know where to save big on Star Wars LEGOs, Blu Rays, and more this weekend? Then join Marjorie and Arnie for the 2014 Black Friday (and Thursday) shopping guide! While the Star Wars bargains are few, there are some choice items for those brave enough to face the lines and the crowds. Listen to this episode to find out what!

Then keep listening for the Star Wars Action News annual holiday gift guide! This year has gift ideas ranging from $3.00 to over $7,0000! No matter if you’re buying for young or old, man or woman, listen to find what to get the Star Wars collector who seems to already have everything!

And don’t forget to sign up for the Star Wars Action Sithmas Gift Exchange! Sign-ups end December 2nd. Get and give some Star Wars joy this season by joining this Secret Santa gift exchange! All the details are at http://www.swactionnews.com/Sithmas/

Of all the monsters in Stephen King’s fiction none have captured reader imaginations quite like The Stand’s Randall Flagg–The Walkin’ Dude, The Dark Man. But nine years before The Stand was published King wrote of this Dark Man who walked, rode trains, and hitchhiked across America leaving bodies in his wake. This is detailed in King’s college poem “The Dark Man.” In 2013 Cemetery Dance Publications printed this in an illustrated book, and Arnie has read and reviewed it in this episode of Books & Nachos. Join him to learn about The Dark Man’s early appearance as he prepares for next week’s review of The Stand.

George Lucas’ 1977 space fantasy Star Wars changed the way American audiences consumed films. More, though, it also changed the landscape for movie merchandising, with more money being made on toys, games, and collectibles than on the movies themselves. Now the documentary Plastic Galaxy looks back at the first generation of Star Wars toys, released between 1977 and 1985 from Kenner. Does this film capture the childhood magic of Star Wars figures, and can the documentary appeal to anyone not already obsessed with little plastic Stormtroopers? Find out in this special Now Playing/Star Wars Action News crossover podcast hosted by Marjorie, Arnie, and Jerry!

One stage magician learns how to split himself into two so that he can challenge a pair of rival illusionists who pretend to be one in The Prestige, Christopher Priests sneaky story of splintering identities. Even if you think you’ve spoiled the trick by seeing the popular Christian Bale-Hugh Jackman movie, there are more secrets to be found in the books sprawling five-part structure that spans the 20th Century. Join Stuart In LA as he studies the source material and weighs in on which Christopher – Nolan or Priest – is the better conjurer.

Halloween is this week and the costumes and decorations have started to go on sale! On this week’s Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie discuss the hard-to-find collectibles that combine Trick-or-Treating with the Galaxy Far, Far Away!

Also on this week’s show–reviews of two new 6-inch figures! First they look at the Hasbro Black Series Biker Scout with Speeder Bike, the first vehicle in the new, larger scale. Does it live up to the preview shown at SDCC?

And then the first Walgreens exclusive Hasbro Star Wars figure–Boba Fett in Prototype Armor. How does this compare to the original outfit, and is it worth the (bounty) hunt?

With Johnathan joining for an On The Pegs segment and a look at the latest offerings from Gentle Giant and Sideshow, it’s all on this new episode of Star Wars Action News!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

Fans of movies based on Marvel Comics characters have several pre-orders hitting today!

First, from the film X-Men: Days of Future PastHot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles bring Wolverine! This figure has over 30 points of articulation, 3 pairs of swappable hands (with and without claws!), and an outfit representing Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the dystopian future shown at the film’s opening. It stands just under 12-inches tall, and comes with a specialized Wolverine display base.

Now, it’s no secret that licensees have issues making toys and collectibles based on 20th Century Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four films. The last X-Men film to receive a big marketing push was X-Men Origins: Wolverine back in 2009. In 2011, covering New York Toy Fair for Marvelicious Toys, I interviewed one of the Marvel reps at Hasbro’s presentation. I was shocked at a lack of toys for that summer’s X-Men: First Class and I asked about that. I was told that Marvel would be marketing theirX-Men: First Class comic books, not the movies. Indeed, in the past five years it has been hard to find any toys or statues based on the X-Men movies; only the comics. Only Diamond Select, with their Minimates lines, has covered all the Marvel movies regardless of studio.

In 2012 Hot Toys announced a licensing agreement for figures based on X-Men: First Class and Magneto and Charles Xavier figures were shown at various Hot Toys exhibits, but they never were released. It is more than likely pressure from Marvel has caused those figures to be indefinitely delayed, if not altogether cancelled.

Yet Hot Toys has persevered in releasing X-Men movie toys…if only Wolverine figures. Their first was from X-Men Origins: Wolverine released in 2009. That figure shot up in value and even had some high-quality bootlegs sold on eBay. As such, in 2012 Hot Toys made another Wolverine figure from X-Men III: The Last Stand. Then last year Hot Toys made another version of this character, showing his appearance in The Wolverine (still available to order, at a deep discount, from Sideshow Collectibles). This Days of Future Past Wolverine is the 4th version of this character.

Despite how much I really want Hot Toys to finally release the other X-Men figures (specifically the yellow-and-blue clad X-Men from First Class) Wolverine is the most popular X-Man. Each version of this figure has been distinct, and showing a likeness of Hugh Jackman appropriate to that film. This is an older Jackman likeness, and the future outfit is far different from any we’ve gotten before.

At $250 the figure is a bit more expensive than I’d like–with no large diorama pieces, excessive accessories, or swappable heads I’d prefer to see this around $200 like The Wolverine version, but it’s still a great version of the character.

I have it ordered already, both for the figure it is, plus I’m hoping that by “voting with my dollars” Hot Toys and Marvel realize high-end figures based on the X-Men films are profitable enough to continue beyond Wolverine.

While that’s a lot of adjectives, Funko’s Hikari Premium Sofubi Vinyl Figures are 11-inch soft vinyl figures. This one is limited to 5,000 pieces and only available from Entertainment Earth.

Funko is known for having several variants for each of their Sofubi figures, from color changes to translucent glittery versions. Several variants of the Groot Hikari Vinyl Figure were displayed at New York Comic-Con, but this Entertainment Earth version seems to be the most movie-accurate. You can order it now at EE.

In Stephen King’s short story “The Man Who Loved Flowers” a man stops to buy roses on the way to see the woman he loves. His warm energy infects all those around him, but there is something they don’t know. Now join Arnie as he completes his reviews of the short stories contained in King’s Night Shift anthology. In this podcast he reviews “The Man Who Loved Flowers” and looks back at all the short stories from Night Shift!

The short stories collected in Stephen King’s Night Shift were written over more than a decade–some originally published in 1968, others printed for the first time in this book. As such, the stories, while having certain similarities, are also wildly varied from the gothic horror of “Jerusalem’s Lot” to the more ghastly comedy found in “Gray Matter” to the realistic, personal drama of “The Woman in the Room.”

“The Last Rung on the Ladder”, a Night Shift original, is a dramatic short story in which a man recounts one day when he was ten years old, and he and his little sister played a dangerous game that almost had fatal consequences.

Now join Arnie for this review review of “The Last Rung on the Ladder”!

Marjorie & Arnie are back from a trip across the American west, and of course they did some Star Wars shopping while there! Visiting with the members of SARLACC in Seattle, they visited several stores–including one of the oddest Star Wars toy shops out there. Watch to see a Star Wars shop unlike any other!

Also on this week’s show, new toys are showing up in stores! With the impending premiere of Rebels on Disney XD stores are stocking up with tons of new Star Wars merchandise from chairs to Christmas ornaments to even a few new action figures! Listen to find out what’s hitting, as well as a brief review of the Toys R Us exclusive Jedi Reveal Rebels figure 3-pack.

But the biggest news last week was a new sixth-scale Star Wars figure line from high end Hong Kong company Hot Toys! Through Sideshow Collectibles, the first two figures have gone up for pre-order–Han Solo and Chewbacca. Join Arnie, who has over 50 Hot Toys in his collection, to hear his impressions of these new Star Wars collectibles!

With a look at the Disney Store original trilogy figure sets, Halloween themed Star Wars collectibles, a review of the Star Wars Lootcrate and more, it’s all in this new Star Wars Action News podcast!

And for our next show we want your input! What is your Star Wars collectible holy grail? A screen-used prop? A carded Vlix? A replacement for the stuffed Ewok you used to own? Let us know in our voicemail at 415-508-JEDI and your call may be used on our next show!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

Author JRR Tolkien spent three books, and over a thousand pages, creating a dense Middle Earth mythology. Now he brings that age of folklore to a thunderous close with Return of the King. Here all of the saga’s major characters are granted an opportunity to fulfill their destiny. Among the questions answered:

Can vagabond king Aragorn gather the army he needs to return to Gondor and reclaim his royal birthright from invading hordes? Will shieldmaiden Eowyn earn the respect of King Theoden and the other warriors by disguising herself as a man on the battlefield?And most centrally, will ringbearer Frodo have the inner strength to escape Orc captivity and finally reach Mount Doom? And will there be a Shire for the Hobbit to return to should he succeed in destroying the One Ring? Join Jakob (who grew up on Tolkien) and Stuart (who previously only knew the story from Peter Jackson’s work) as they dig deep into the original text in preparation for the Now Playing Silver and Platinum donation reviews of all Hobbit and Lord of the Rings film adaptations.

It took almost twenty years for the author of The Hobbit to pen a sequel – time enough for the children who grew up on the story to mature into readers capable of tackling a darker, denser saga spanning three separate novels. Fellowship of the Ring begins the adventure with aged journeyman Bilbo Baggins giving nephew Frodo a magic ring he won from monstrous Gollum. Wizard Gandalf can see the treasure is a conduit for dark magic, and sends the new ringbearer and his three Hobbit friends Sam, Merry, and Pippin on a journey to Rivendell. There a council of elves, dwarfs, and humans must decide the best course of action to take against growing enemy Sauron.Join Jakob (who grew up on Tolkien) and Stuart (who previously only knew the story from Peter Jackson’s work) as they dig deep into the original text in preparation for the Now Playing Silver and Platinum donation reviews of all Hobbit and Lord of the Rings film adaptations.

Last Spring it was announced that the Star Wars canon was taking a new direction. To pave way for the upcoming Episode VII as well as the Rebels TV series the previous Star Wars “Expanded Universe” was reclassified as Star Wars Legends, wiping the slate clean for a new era of Star Wars stories. That begins today with the release of A New Dawn, the Star Wars Rebels tie-in novel by John Jackson Miller. In this episode of Star Wars Action News Brock joins us with a review of this first novel in a new age of Star Wars fiction.

​Also on this week’s show, Marjorie and Arnie review Hasbro’s 4th wave of Black Series 3.75-inch figures. From Dagobah Luke to Yoda to Toryn Farr, watch the video to see hands-on reviews of these collector-oriented figures!

With reports from Wizard World Chicago and GenCon, eating fresh with Rebels, and much more, it’s all in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

It’s hard to believe there was a time when the world didn’t know of Hobbits, those hairy-toed homebodies who prefer a good pipe and cozy hole in the ground to the promise of fame and fortune. But their secret subterranean lifestyle was exposed in 1937 when author J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit. Intended for children, but serving as the basis for his more sophisticated later Lord of the Rings trilogy, this introductory Middle Earth novel offers a delightful account of how paternalistic wizard Gandalf prodded sheltered Bilbo Baggins to step outside his comfort zone and help a band of dwarfs reclaim their kingdom.

The Hobbit is celebrated and castigated in equal measure for re-popularizing folklore in 20th Century literature – presenting a detailed alternate universe teaming with warmongering elves, hungry trolls, giant spiders, and a fire breathing dragon. Is it all just fodder for role-playing games and kiddie cartoons 77 years later, or are there timeless life lessons and enduring appeal to what’s on the page? Join hosts Jakob (who grew up with Tolkien) and Stuart (a fantasy-challenged reader) as they revisit this milestone in preparation for a larger Hobbit/Lord of the Rings movie retrospective being created for Silver and Platinum donors to sister podcast Now Playing.

Of all the stories in Stephen King’s Night Shift none have the name recognition, or the notoriety, of “Children of the Corn.” Originally published in a 1977 issue of Penthouse, this story has spawned one of the longest-running horror franchises in film history! Now hear Arnie’s review of the short story, then join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at nowplayingpodcast.com to hear their reviews of all nine Children of the Corn films, as well as the “Dollar Baby” adaptation Disciples of the Crow!

Yet, I was curious… I wanted to see it while I was frightened of what I might find.

The best analogy I can use for my view of horror is, indeed, the Lament Configuration puzzle box featured in the Hellraiser movies. I was a voyager seeking forbidden knowledge, but once the box was opened the pleasures, and terrors, inside would forever be unleashed. If I watched a horror film the hooks would be in my flesh, and what I would see were images relegated to the domain of nightmare.

I wanted to go there, but I took tentative steps over several years. As a very young child I stuck mostly to the safe horrors of Scooby-Doo ghosts and the seemingly supernatural mysteries in The Three Investigators young adult novels. At age 7 I tried to stretch my own limits by leaving the safety nets of kiddie fare behind and attempting to endure adult horror.

I saw The Shining on television in the early 1980s and was petrified by the decaying woman in the bathtub. I watched Frank Langella in Dracula around the same time. I would see ads for horror films like Return of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th, and Psycho III, read the reviews, and talk endlessly about them with classmates.

Like the cenobites I too wanted to explore the further regions of horror.

Finally, when I was 8 years old, I tried to face horror. I came home from school one day to find our hosted teenage exchange students were watching Friday the 13th on the VCR. My afterschool ritual was to watch a movie, often Star Wars or Grease, but these Brazilians had monopolized the machine. I was not going to change my routine, so if I could not pick the movie then I would just watch theirs. Not five minutes passed before I saw Mrs. Voorhees decapitated and I fled the room.

That image haunted me for years.

But as I grew into adolescence I wanted to stretch my boundaries further, and I did, starting with horror novels. I found the page safer than the screen, as the written word was always limited by the boundaries of my own imagination. I went further at age 12 and had my first horror movie marathon with the A Nightmare on Elm Street 1 and 2. While I did have a few nightmares of my own I loved every minute of it. I immediately started to consume all the horror I could, reading Fangoria magazine and watching more Stephen King films, the Friday the 13th series, Child’s Play, The Lost Boys, and more.

Within a year I was still captivated, but also starting to bore of the same routine. The vast majority of horror films I watched were slashers, each starring a new group of stereotypical teen characters taken to the slaughter. I had entered the realm of horror to stretch my boundaries, but I just found the same stories again and again. I had faced those fears and I wanted more. I wanted to be tested anew.

Then came Hellbound: Hellraiser II. I had known about the original Hellraiser from the ads. Stephen King’s words were put on the movie screen in a giant font: “I have seen the future of horror and his name is Clive Barker.” Trailers for the first Hellraiser raised my curiosity but the film never came to my town. In 1988, before I’d even had a chance to see Hellraiser on video, its sequel Hellbound came to theaters. The monstrous-looking Cenobites graced the poster. In the movie these creatures described themselves as, “Explorers in the further regions of experience. Demons to some, angels to others.” They were just what I wanted.

Being only 13, I couldn’t find any adult foolish enough to take me to see Hellbound. My parents were lax and would buy me tickets to A Nightmare on Elm Street films, but something about the Hellraiser series made them nervous. I had to wait for video, but the day Hellbound hit VHS I rented it and its predecessor.

I don’t know what I expected the movie to be, but my memory was of fevered excitement. I was going to see something forbidden; I expected something akin to a snuff film. I expected to be changed.

I wanted extreme…I got it. This was one of the first frames I saw of Hellraiser.

By complete accident I put Hellbound in the VCR first and it opened with a montage of the goriest, scariest scenes from the first film. I saw Larry (Andrew Robinson), his flesh stretched by hooks on chains. His distended face leaked more than just blood, and he slurred a blasphemous “Jesus… wept” before exploding into chunks of flesh.

Just these opening frames of Hellbound were an orgy of death and carnage. I was scared. I was nauseated. I was excited. I couldn’t bear to watch, yet I couldn’t turn away.

I had found exactly what I wanted in that damned puzzle box.

Eventually the opening credits started and I hit “stop” so I could watch the films in the correct order. I realized that this was not a Faces of Death-type snuff film but rather a mostly conventional horror film with a crazy woman seducing men and then killing them. Still, I had found a horror more pure, and more imaginative, than even Freddy. Pinhead and his varied demonic cohorts were immortal evil incarnate.

The first film had the better gore, but the second expanded the world further. In Hellbound we got to see the creation of a cenobite and travel to their labyrinthine realm; all taking place in an insane asylum — the heart of madness.

Yet the entire mad experience was accompanied by an amazing orchestral score by Christopher Young. From the disarming lullaby that played when the box was opened to the crescendos that sound like the soundtrack for the end of days, Young’s score stuck with me every bit as much as the latex work. I was no fan of Young’s given his “whale song” music for A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge but he redeemed by Hellraiser. I’ve still not heard a score he’s done better.

In the years since seeing Hellbound I have encountered many horror fans who claim the original Hellraiser is the only one worth watching. I disagree. Perhaps it was because I experienced them as a double-feature, prompted by the marketing for Hellbound, but I see the first two Hellraiser films as parts of a whole.

The matte work may not be cutting edge but Hellbound expanded the mythology of the Hellraiser franchise.

Yes, the first movie had a more visceral feel, but it also had long scenes of Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Lawrence) walking the streets of London. The sequel truly fulfilled Kirsty’s character arc and allowed her to escape the madness forever, or at least until the direct-to-video Hellraiser VI.

After seeing Hellraiser and Hellbound I felt I had gone to the limits of horror. I tried to explore further by reading Clive Barker’s books and seeing his follow-up films Nightbreed and Lord of Illusions. They couldn’t live up to the horrors of Hellraiser.

Repeatedly I’ve felt that Barker is the man who comes closest to taking the terror of nightmares and putting it on the page or screen, but he always falls just short.

For more than a decade the Hellraiser duology would be my bar for terror and horror, and they are both films I appreciate to this day.

I continue to try and find new boundaries to push in every aspect of life. I find contentment to be equal to death and I want to be pushed further. In the 25 years since first seeing Hellbound I’ve discovered films that grossed me out more (Human Centipede comes to mind), but none that felt as forbidden as the first two Hellraiser films.

I will continue to find the next cinematic puzzle box, and when I find it I’ll open it without hesitation.

The irony of San Diego Comic-Con is that while everyone rushes to buy the exclusives, there’s no time at the con to really look at them! Now Marjorie and Arnie are back home and have unpacked their SDCC shipment, and are ready to tell you if Hasbro’s 6-Inch Jabba the Hut exclusive, or the SDCC/Toys R Us exclusive Cantina Showdown set, was worth the trouble.

Also on this week’s show Steve the Gingerprince reports in from the London Film and Comic Con. With a not-too-surprising number of Star Wars guests (given where Episode VII is filming) and tons of toys, listen in to find out about that European event.

With Johnathan telling us what’s hitting stores, a look at the Star Wars Celebration pin set, and more, it’s all in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

We want you to join our team! We have openings currently for video editors, audio editors, and photo editors! Find out all the details in our forums!

The foreplay starts when the film is announced, giving fans a hint that something great is to come. The slow build of anticipation can be excitingly agonizing. News bits are teased like a nibble on your earlobe, pictures are released from the set — the brief flashes making moviegoers anxious for the full reveal — and quotes tease the mind with plot threads as vague as an erect nipple through a cotton blouse. Finally, it all climaxes on the opening weekend; and that first viewing can sometimes be even better than the build up, or it can be a frustrating experience as the film exposes itself as something lesser than the fantasy built up in your mind.

To properly hype a film is a delicate dance. Studio marketing teams must be careful not to show too much too quickly, while still ensuring the filmgoer remains not only interested, but almost intoxicated by the perfume of previews.

I learned all of this as an 8-year-old. The film that taught me this lesson was Return of the Jedi.

Arnie’s childhood soccer team was The Force to be reckoned with.

Up until the spring of 1983 moviegoing was always spurred by an adult in my life. Even when I picked the film we attended I chose by simply looking at the newspaper listings, with no knowledge of release dates or whether the film was leaving theaters soon.

I usually became aware of a film upon its release. As mentioned in yesterday’s E.T. article, I watched Siskel & Ebert At The Movies weekly to learn about new films, but until their review aired I knew nothing about new movies being made. I may have seen an ad or two on television or trailers before other movies started, but I was too young for any of that to grab my attention.

I was too young to plan.

But that started to change after The Empire Strikes Back, with its unresolved cliffhanger of an ending. Being only 5 years old when I first saw Empire, I couldn’t fathom waiting three years for a conclusion to a story. After all, that was more than half my lifetime!

Primarily due to the toys, Star Wars was a constant topic of playground conversation, and throughout first, second, and third grade rumors about the next Star Wars film spread through the grapevine like urban legend.

“George Lucas was going to make Return of the Jedi three years after Empire, just as Empire was three years after Star Wars!”

“Then he’s planning to take a break for a few years, and release the next movie — Episode I — in 1989!”

To this day I don’t know how much of the “news” I heard about future Star Wars films was made up, how much came from news and magazines — passed down from parent to child — or how much I’ve learned since that has retroactively mingled in my imaginings.

What I do remember is the anticipation — for years — of that next Star Wars film.

I was not a child who dealt well with suspense. Commercial breaks were often agonizing torture, and season-finale cliffhangers would cause me physical pain — the need to know. But for three years I battled, wanting so badly to see what happened in the final Star Wars film.

Yet, despite all the anguish and all the talk about that third film it never felt real until late 1982 — six months before Return of the Jedi‘s release. When the trailers and magazine articles started, when toys started to hit shelves bearing the new, red Return of the Jedi logo, when bookstores had entire displays of Star Wars books promoting the upcoming film… that was when 8-year-old Arnie went insane.

It’s finally done!

Toys, books, and magazines were all purchased in anticipation of this film — surrogates I used to try and satiate my desires until the Jedi’s release. My godparents would placate me with a deal: If I did good in school that week, then on Saturday they would take me to buy one action figure.

ONE!?!?! But there were dozens on the store shelves, and so many more to come! I would watch Saturday morning cartoons and make lists of all the figures being released. I took a cardback and would X off each figure I owned as a way of marking time until I could have them all.

My parents, however, were not as indulgent regarding toys. They did however encourage me to read, and so I remember one Sunday going to the (now closed) local bookshop, The Book Emporium. There I saw a massive display of Star Wars novels, and a poster promoting the upcoming release of a Return of the Jedi novelization! That image of two hands clasping the blue lightsaber was burned into my brain, and to this day it is my iconic image of that film. I couldn’t bear it so I badgered my father to buy me all the Star Wars books, and I took my pleasures where I could — reading the novelizations of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back to fully re-experience those stories before seeing Return of the Jedi.

Arnie’s 1983 Birthday Cake

Finally, two weeks before the film was out, the novelization by James Kahn was in stores. I bought it the Saturday after it was released and tore into it. I couldn’t wait any longer for Return of the Jedi — the thirteen days until the film would be in theaters was agonizing. I had to have it now. I read like I’d never read before, page after page, excited for every new reveal.

It was a feeling like I was doing something naughty. There was forbidden knowledge in this book! I knew things no one else on the playground knew!

So excited was I about my insight into this upcoming movie that I would regale my sister Susan with anecdotes from the novel. Perhaps wanting me to have a pure movie experience (perhaps just wanting to shut me up), she introduced me to the concept of what we now call a “spoiler.”

She asked me if I was ruining the movie by knowing all about it before I saw it. Now, I wanted to see this movie more than I wanted air to breathe, so I promised her I would not read the last 50 pages. The film’s ending I would save for the screen.

But the waiting was killing me. Never before had I paid careful attention to a film’s opening date, but that year I knew Return of the Jedi would open on May 25. I had never been to an evening movie before — my parents always saved money by taking me to matinees — but Susan promised to take me opening night. My childhood best friend Stuart, now my co-host on Now Playing Podcast, also joined us.

We went early; Susan knowing that her brother wasn’t the only one anxious for Jedi. Still, the line was long at the Fox Theater in Springfield. It ran the full length of the strip mall, and for a half-hour we stood right outside the toy store where I practically drooled over the giant Star Wars toy display in the window.

Vader walked the line at our Return of the Jedi screening.

Walking down the line, working the crowd, was Darth Vader. I’d seen costumed characters before on stage shows, and sometimes superheroes would appear at that very same toy store. But those were scheduled appearances. I had no concept of cosplay, and I was somewhat frightened by this tall man carrying the Kenner lightsaber. Part of me knew he wasn’t the real Darth Vader, and part of me hoped he was indeed the Sith Lord come to terrorize my town.

When we got to the box office we were told there were only 3 tickets left for the film — all of us could get in, but we couldn’t sit together. My sister was flummoxed by this, as we were two children in her care for the night.

But I didn’t care who I sat by, or didn’t sit by, just get me in that theater! Sorry Stuart. Sorry Susan. I cared more about seeing Return of the Jedi than spending time with either of you!

That was another radical shift. Up until that point in my life, movies were always a social event. I couldn’t imagine watching a movie alone, and going to a cinema was always as much about time with friends and family as it was the film itself.

Not this time. This time Return of the Jedi and I had to be together. Now.

So in we went. I had an end-of-the-aisle seat next to a stranger. Before the lights dimmed I tried to look around and see where Stuart and Susan were seated, but the theater was large and soon I ceased to care. They never once entered my thoughts as I was transported at 0.5-past-lightspeed to a galaxy far, far away.

In 1983 there was no better birthday gift for Arnie than an Ewok village.

The film moved so fast and had so many vivid creature designs that I instantly forgot everything I had read in the book. On the page I had only my own imaginings, and a few photos in the middle of the novel, to aid in the visualization of the story. Now, with dancing Twi’leks, organ-playing muppets, and slithering Hutts the film consumed me whole — as the Rancor would to the Gamorrean guard. The Emperor, the red-robed Royal Guards, the speeder bikes, they enthralled me. But my favorite were the Ewoks. Some have claimed the fierce teddy bears were Lucas’ crass marketing attempt to appeal to children. It worked. I was hooked by these furry, man-eating creatures, and immediately every Ewok figure was at the top of my toy-buying list.

When the Death Star exploded, I didn’t care that it was a retread of the same climax Lucas had done six years earlier, the one I’d watched on VHS nearly every day after school. Evil was defeated. That was what mattered.

This film lived up to what I wanted at that age. It was love-at-first-viewing, and like any new romance the euphoria made me proclaim it the best movie I’d ever seen. I knew I had seen E.T. 12 times in theaters the year before, so I would not be satisfied until I’d seen Jedi 13 times and it could claim my record.

(At 17 viewings, counting the ‘97 rerelease and a convention screening, Jedi is to this day the movie I’ve seen most often theatrically.)

As an adult I feel Return of the Jedi, while still very good, is by far the weakest of the three original Star Wars films. The pacing is downright odd, with too much time spent rescuing Han Solo in a subplot far removed from the main action of the saga. Lucas had painted himself into a corner and it took a long side-trip to the Pit of Carkoon to fix it. Yoda’s death was convenient, Luke and Leia’s sibling relationship was contrived, and Han Solo was neutered.

“Obi-Wan, invite the creepy guy to join us, did you?”

Jedi was also the first Star Wars film where I felt Lucas was too ambitious and the technology was not able to realize his vision. From Imperial Walkers to Tauntauns to Landspeeders to Yoda, the effects wizards in Lucas’ employ had made it all work in his previous films. But in Jedi the seams were showing — quite literally in the case of the puppets in Jabba’s palace. From the shoddy matting of the Rancor to the poor articulation in the Ewok faces, this is the Star Wars film that looks the most fake.

Lucas would try to fix some of these technical issues in myriad re-releases, starting with the Special Edition in 1997. Each time Jedi got a little worse, right down to the creepy insertion of Hayden Christensen at the end, and Darth Vader’s lame battle cry of “Noooooo.”

Still, despite these issues, the core storyline of Vader’s redemption, a son’s determination to save his father, and the final battle between good and evil makes this a worthy entry in the Star Wars franchise.

But this experience — anticipating a film so hotly that I was near-obsessed — was euphoric. To this day few experiences in my life are as pleasurable as the anticipation for a great, exciting movie.

More birthday gifts from 1983

It was this level of hype I had for the remake of Friday the 13th that launched Now Playing Podcast’s first retrospective series. That same hype for The Avengers, more than one year before its release, instigated Now Playing’s Marvel Movie Retrospective.

As for future hype, I look at Star Wars Episode VII. I believed for 30 years that the Star Wars story ended with Return of the Jedi, but Lucas’ decision to retire — combined with Disney shareholders’ lust for profit — mean the story will continue. Part of me feels like this is a spinoff, a story based on characters created by George Lucas. Episode VII is in completely unnecessary, save for the Disney folks who watch it with dollar signs in their eyes.

But… it could be good. The recent reveal of an X-Wing is pulling at my nostalgic love for the original trilogy. Certainly all the marketers at Disney will try to seduce me. The images revealed, the first trailers, will all be Episode VII courting me, teasing me, trying to gain my interest and make me excited. Time will tell if Star Wars can still get me hot and bothered 32 years later.

But I’ll never forget my first, and as such Return of the Jedi will always be special.

In the past the Hot Toys exclusive figures have been some of the hardest for US collectors to obtain, and drawn some of the highest prices on the secondary market. In the past Sideshow Collectibles used to make these items San Diego Comic-Con exclusives, but has since moved to their usual online ordering system (albeit with a lower edition size). Last year’s exclusive Midas Armor Iron Man was especially problematic for collectors.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco where an uneasy truce is being negotiated between distrustful apes and paranoid human survivors. How did things get so bad between man and his closest genetic match to make war such an inevitable outcome? And what was life like in the initial days after apes broke free of their cages and stormed across the Golden Gate bridge to take refuge in the Redwoods? In the prequel novel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm author Greg Keyes returns to the year 2011, bringing together all new characters with the fan favorites of Rise of the Planet of the Apes to explore a turning point in both species’ survival. Does he find a way to expand upon the movie universe, or are you better off skipping this 304 page preview and just reading the new film’s numerous subtitles?

Stuart in LA answers this and more in his final Planet of the Apes podcast of the summer. Listen now!Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear the movie retrospective! The movie podcasts are only available until July 31, 2014!

Planet of the Apes might have begun in literature, but it reached mass popularity and commercial success with the 1968 Charlton Heston movie. That cinema classic, and its four sequels, presents a stark future Earth where Mankind has slipped back into savagery and become slaves to our evolutionary brethren.

In 2011 – the same year Twentieth Century Fox released blockbuster reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Archaia Entertainment, author Andrew Gaska, and over a dozen celebrated illustrators launched a continuation of the original movie universe in print. Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes retells the story of the time-traveling Liberty 1 space mission using gorilla, chimp, orang, and human characters we never got to know in the movies.Join Stuart in LA to hear if this illustrated novel is a bold reinterpretation of a landmark film, or just aping the past for quick cash.

Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear the movie retrospective! The movie podcasts are only available until July 31, 2014!

In Tim Burton’s 2001 film Planet of the Apes Leo Davidson (played by Mark Wahlberg) is sent to the alien world Ashlar in the far future where humans and smart apes wage war upon each other. But how did humans get to Ashlar and what role did Davidson’s space station Oberon play? The movie never answered those questions, but two novels by author William T. Quick did! Now Stuart in LA is here to bring you up to speed with his summaries and reviews of Planet of the Apes: The Fall and Planet of the Apes: Colony. Listen to find out if these books enhance the experience of watching the 2001 re-imagined Apes film.

Then head to Now Playing Podcast’s donation page to hear the movie retrospective! The movie podcasts are only available until July 31, 2014!

The story of the monolith and man’s exploration of space concludes in Arthur C. Clarke’s ultimate Odyssey novel 3001: The Final Odyssey. Set a thousand years after Dave, Frank and HAL journeyed into space to investigate the strange lunar monolith, this concluding chapter reveals the true motivations of the mysterious alien race, with some familiar faces returning to guide readers. Now join Stuart as his voyage through the years concludes and he reviews this 31st Century adventure.

Then head to Now Playing Podcast to hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob review the film version of 2001 and 2010!

The movies ended in 2010 but the story of humanity’s Space Odyssey continued in novels by original 2001 co-creator Arthur C. Clarke. In this third installment of the series Heywood Floyd is on a mission to land on Haley’s comet but unexpected events lead him to Europa–the one place in the galaxy the monolith forbade man to tread. Are there answers about the mysterious monolith at last? Join Stuart in this gala 100th episode of Books & Nachos to find out!

Then head to Now Playing Podcast to hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob review the film version of 2001 and 2010!

Fourteen years after Arthur C. Clarke co-created the multimedia experience 2001, the author returns to Jupiter alone in the follow-up novel 2010: Odyssey Two. Now with the freedom to tell whatever story he wants, free of cinematic considerations or partnership with a film director, does Clarke’s novel reach the same heights as the original? Listen to Stuart in LA’s review to find out!

Then head to Now Playing Podcast to hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob review the film version of 2001 and 2010!